When to Move to a Toddler Bed

Right now, I'm debating this same thing for my third child. It's different with each child. My oldest went from crib to twin bed at 2 1/2 (we bought those rails you slide under the matress). My daughter was trying to climb out of the crib at 20 months old so we moved her to a toddler bed at that time. It worked out well, because her brother was about to be born in two months and we didn't want to move her out of the crib the same time her brother was born and create resentment. Now my youngest son is 18 months and I'm trying to decide if we should move him.
I don't think we are quite yet because he seems pretty comfortable in his crib still. He does like to climb in his sister's toddler bed once in a while, much to her dismay! :D
He's not trying to climb out of the crib and I'd rather have him safe inside there. I don't like the idea of him having the ability to get out of bed and wander around the house if he wakes up while everyone else is sleeping. I'm going to give it a couple more months, maybe move him at 20 months like we did his sister.

i moved my little one out of the crib into a todler bed at 2 years old because she told me she was not a baby anymore, and she wanted a big girl bed

ALot of people say wait till your toddle crawls out of his or her crib but I didnt do that,I moved my daughter into a toddler bed a week before her 2nd bday. every child is different, but she seems to do well..good luck N.

hi my name is R. i have two kids too i put my kids in there toddler bed when my grils turn two some people do it sooner

when my son started climbling out of his crib, which was before his second birthday. he had been climbing out of his portacribs but the first time he climbed out of his real crib, i took it down and put the mattress on the floor and he's been sleeping like that for over a year. he doesn't want anything to do with a real bed, he would much rather sleep in the mattress on the floor, and it helps me sleep better, so at least i know he won't fall out of bed. if she has a convertable crib, try taking the one rail off and getting a short bed rail and see how she likes it. but if she climbing, def. put her in a bed, but try the mattress on the floor first to see how she sleeps and where she wakes up. good luck

I switched my son to a toddler bed rather soon because he never slept well in his crib. He was about 18-19 months old. He loves it. We got one with his favorite character on it.

my daughter was 19 months. we had our 2nd due about a month later so we got meagan a toddler bed so we could move the crib to the new babies room. she did fine in it, the only problem she had was whacking her head on the safety rails sometimes so after she'd gotten used to the bed my husband took it off. she had more of an issue switching to a twin bed (she was 2 months shy of 3) and pitched a fit, but she does great in that now too.

i know some mom's who've had to put their kiddos in a toddler bed around 14 or 15 months because they kept climbing out of the crib lol.

just try to make it exciting for her. maybe if you're getting new bedding you can let her "help" pick it out? or the bed if you haven't gotten one already? hope it goes well :)

I moved my daughter into her toddler bed when she was only 18 months, to prepare for the birth of her baby sister who would be needing the crib. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I let her watch us set it up and I let her help me pick out the blanket and sheet set for her new big girl bed. SHe was very excited about it, and she has been sleeping in it ever since. -T. M

Hi! My husband and I moved our son into a toddler bed when he was 18 months old. I probably would have waited a little longer but he was starting to refuse to sleep in his crib and I wasn't about to put up with him sleeping in our bed! lol Now we're getting ready to transfer him into a big boy bed (twin) so that his soon to arrive sister can use the mattress from his bed.

Good luck!

J.

Well My son started showing signs at about 10 months old, by climbing out of the crib. However it was hard to transition him from crib to "big boy bed". Then we moved and I just took the crib away and he has been sleeping in bed ever since!! I would say just look for signs. If your child is showing signs of being to big for crib then try putting him/her in the toddler bed!! I don't think that there is a set time for that to happen!! My nephew is 4y/o and he just got out of the crib 6 months ago!! So it just depends on the child!! I hope I was of some good help to you!!
Thanks Becca

I moved my son out of his crib about a month ago because he was climbing out. He was 26 months old. I HATE the toddler bed, and wish I could go back to the crib. If I don't sit in his room while he falls asleep, he just climbs out of bed and plays. Spreads his laundry all over the floor, empties out his dresser drawers, stands on the bed and jumps up and down, anything he can think of.

If I were you, I wouldn't do it unless there's no choice, like he's climbing out or you need the crib again.

if your daughter is climbing out of the crib, then switch her. if she's happy, then leave her. My daughter was out at 18 months, my son was about 2... it's more of a safety issue than anything else, you don't want them trying to climb out and falling.

With my first son he was in his toddler bed really early on. He never slept in his crib . . . was afraid to be alone would cry for hours and never fall asleep . . . so he stayed with us. But when he was 1 1/2 we put him in his own bed and child proofed everything, left some toys out for him to play with and that’s it. Mind you he was still in our room but when it was time to fall asleep he did it on his own. And from time to time we would find him in our bed in the a.m. I'd say I missed those days but he still comes in when he first wakes up in the morning. We are thinking really hard about our 20 month old now. He gets into everything and he sleeps with us now (our other son has been out for 20 months now) I think he would do well but you never know until you try so this weekend will be the time that we try. I hope your daughter does well with her big girl bed.

My daughter is going to be three in two weeks and we just moved her to a bed in August. If your daughter is sleeping well in a crib and is not attempting to climb out of her crib keep her in it as long as possible. When the time comes that you must make that transition, I recommend skipping the toddler bed and getting a normal twin bed and just buying one with railings or buying the railings seperately (they have them at babies r us) because if you put her in a toddler bed you'll have yet another transition. My daughter is in a "big girl" bed and is doing great. No matter what when you switch her make her sleep in her bed . The first week or so my daughter would need me to lay with her and then I'd get up and leave the room once she was asleep or shed fall asleep in my bed and id carry her into her own bed. Then I started saying mommy has to go clean or some other excuse and I'll be back. Now i just say goodnight and enjoy my rest :)

I moved my son into a toddler bed around the time he started to walk, which was around 13 months. He transitioned just fine! Matter of fact, he sleeps better in his toddler bed then he ever did in his crib. My son is now 2 1/2 and he is now starting to test the limits by getting out of bed and playing instead of going to bed. But he is testing the limits with regards to almost everything...

My daughter moved to a toddler bed when she was around 21/2. She had started to climb out of her crib, and she actually got herself over the side and fell with her leg stuck in the bar. her crib changed to a toddler bed, so I just took off the side facing into the room,and let her sleep in it like that.

just because its called a toddler bed we focus that on when our child should move in...it totally depends on your daughter...what i did was put the bed in our room with us so when my sosn got used to sleeping in it then we put him in his own room by himself...it took awhile close to a year before he really felt comfortable & every once in awhile he still comes in our room to sleep with us...so you just try it out she will tell you if shes not ready....

ps i LOVE scrapbooking too...& reading thats really awesome :D

WHen my son was 22months, I put him right in. I prepared him by letting him sleep in his crib, and take his naps on his bed when he was 20months. By the time he turned 2 (24months), he was used to it. Had no problems.

My first son we moved to a toddler bed when he was 22 months old because my other son was born when my older one was 23 months and we wanted to get the older one "ready" - he is 4 now and still has issues staying in his own bed. My younger son is now in a toddler bed at age 2. He is also tough to keep in his "OWN " bed but our new years resolution is to make both of them start sleeping in their own beds for the entire night! If I were you, I would keep your child in the crib as long as possible, unless she is jumping out on her own, then for safety reasons, you shoudl move her, but other than that, keep her CONFINED!!! The only reason we moved our first son was because the second one was on the way and then my younger son started jumping over the railing when he was about 2 years old and we were afraid he would get hurt so we moved him. Good luck!

I moved my son to a toddler bed after he started climbing out of his crib. It was actually the week of his second birthday. He was very easy to convert and didn't seem to mind the change. I used the same crib sheets rather than buying unfamiliar ones and placed the bed in the exact location of the crib. I think that may have helped him realize that it was still "his" bed. Good luck!!

Hi N. I switched my older son to a bed when he was 2 because he was jumping out of his crib. He was really to young to be in a bed but I had no choice. My litttle guy who is 2 1/2 is still in a crib and is very happy about it. I will probably put him in a bed by 3. Good luck